Solar distillation systems are known that utilize solar energy stored in sea water to assist in the production of fresh water. These systems, however, are generally directed solely at the evaporation of sea water and the subsequent condensation of fresh water. Existing systems, although fulfilling their primary design purpose, often fail to fully utilize the thermal energy trapped within their confines. In many systems, this is a reflection on the inefficiency of design for solar distillation. In other systems, however, this inefficient approach represents a failure of designers to recognize the potential of the stored energy to improve the efficiency of energy generating systems.
The concept of utilizing the thermal properties of sea water in an effort to generate energy is not novel in and of itself. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) systems have been designed to take advantage of the temperature differences between the warmer ocean surface and the colder ocean depths. Existing systems, however, carry with them several disadvantages. In order for significant temperature differences to be utilized, existing systems must often be located (or have access to) offshore and are therefore exposed to the ravages of nature. This contributes significant costs and inefficiencies to these systems and often requires their location at a position distant from the potential users of the generated energy. In addition, the temperature differences typically utilized by such systems are in the magnitude of 35–36 degrees Fahrenheit. This is usually representative of a temperate surface of 77–78 degrees and a chilled depth of 42 degrees. Although considerable effort has been expelled to extract as much energy as possible from this temperature range, the potential is limited.
In addition to the thermal inefficiencies, existing OTEC systems often suffer from other disadvantages such as biofouling. Biofouling and scaling often develop when ocean water filled with biomatter is raised to temperatures between 60 degrees and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This contributes both expense and additional inefficiencies to existing systems. Processes such as reverse osmosis can minimize the effects of biofouling, but contribute their own complexities to the systems. The problem of biofouling can exist for a wide variety of energy generating systems that attempt to utilize sea water as an active ingredient. Thus an approach to energy generation that reduced the impact of biofouling on an energy generation system utilizing sea water would be highly desirable.
Accordingly, there is a need for a cost effective energy efficient solar energy generation system that utilizes the potential for solar energy storage in sea water without the representative disadvantages associated with existing systems. In addition, there is a need for a solar energy generation system that utilizes the excess solar energy often ignored by solar distillation advances.